In what would give a major boost to marine biodiversity, the Maharashtra government has decided to notify the Angria Bank, located in the Arabian Sea as a "designated area".
At the 15th meeting of the State Board of Wildlife, presided over by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, held last week, it was decided to recommend to the Centre to notify Angria Plateau or Angria Bank as a "designated area" under Maritime Zones Act, 1976.
If the Centre gives approval, it will be the first such marine protected zone in India located in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The Angria Bank is a submerged plateau situated 105 km off the Sindhudurg district in the coastal Konkan belt of Maharashtra. This 2,011 sq km region ranges from depths of 20 m to 400 m. It supports a large extent of coral reefs and algal habitats, spanning 650 sq km that harbours a high diversity of associated flora and fauna. The reefs also host diverse functional groups that are necessary for a stable ecosystem representing a resilient reef. This unique ecosystem makes it among the last strongholds of marine diversity in the northern Indian Ocean, according to a statement of Wildlife Conservation Society-India.
In order to explore the region, in December 2019, a 10-day joint expedition was conducted by the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), Wildlife Conservation Society-India (WCS-India) and Mangrove Foundation along with partner institutes using the Fishery Oceanographic Research Vessel (FORV) Sagar Sampada, commissioned under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
During this expedition experienced marine biologists and trained professional SCUBA dive instructors surveyed a total area of 3500 square meters by conducting 66 individual dives at 12 sites. In particular, the team employed coral reef monitoring protocols and collected data on enthic composition, coral community structure, abundance and diversity of reef fish and invertebrates.
During the expedition, the team recorded exceptional diversity of reef fish with representation from all functional groups that are essential for a stable ecosystem. The Bank is not only a stronghold for marine life within the Northern Indian Ocean but also bears an immense potential to act as a source habitat for populations for several ecologically important marine species.
India is signatory to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and is thus committed to achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Target 11, which prescribes conservation of 10% of coastal and marine areas. Once the Centre approves it as a "designated area", Angria Bank will not only help India in achieving its international commitments, but also help in conserving the unique marine biodiversity occurring in its open ocean and deep seas.